#transvisibilty

[authenticerica]

Have a good weekend everyone! And maybe one day we can all celebrate the Fourth of July united under freedom for all. But until then, deuces! ⁣ ⁣ You do you. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ _____________________________________________#pink #summerdays #fourthofjuly #liveauthentic #womansrights #righttolive #sidesmile #thisiswhattranslookslike #transvisibilty #romper #lgbt #lgbtq #messyhair https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfb4Oa7u9Pb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[galacticgalactophagist]

Being A Transgender Dancer

I am transgender and a dancer. Two things that don’t really go together. More specifically, I’m a trans male dancer. If any of you have ever searched “transgender male dancer”, or something along those lines, like me, you have probably come across the articles about the two well known, trans female ballet dancers. When it comes to transgender dancers we have very little representation, when it come to trans male dancers we seem to have none, so I want to write my story. I hope you will reblog this so that if there are other people like me they will see this.

I started dance class when I was two years old, but I have been dancing since I could walk and kicking my feet to music long before that. I grew up in local ballet schools where we didn’t have performances and classes were mixed gender (which meant that sometimes we would have one boy). I loved to dance more than anything. And then I hit puberty. If you are trans you know the experience of watching your body go through the wrong changes. Now imagine (or maybe know) what it’s like to watch those changes in skin tight clothing, in front of mirror, almost every day. My technique suffered. All I wanted was to crawl out of my skin, to dance in the body I was supposed to have. By the time I was fourteen I had begun to hate dance enough that I was ready to give it up, though only with the promise that I was taking a break, not quitting. I went to one last ballet intensive and every night I would come home and break into tears. I’m not a cryer, never have been, it was one of those “I won’t be a girl” things I picked up when I was really little, and there I was sobbing my eyes out night after night. To make matters worse, my teachers saw my vulnerability and actively made fun of me for it. I quit.

Two years later I’m back. I started boarding school this year and tentatively signed up for a ballet class. And that was it, I couldn’t stay away any longer. My dance teacher is loving and supportive, and she has done everything possible to help me regain my technique and learn the male steps I never learned. But it is so hard. Not only did I miss out on two important years of training, I have to learn a whole repertoire of movement, one that involves a lot of strength, without testosterone. I got accepted into a selective dance program for the summer and have been dancing seven hours a day for the last three days with incredible dancers. It makes me wonder whether I belong. Every day I am faced with the same truth: I am weaker and less well trained then some of the girls I’m dancing with, let alone the boy, who can do six turns to my imperfect double. There are still things I could do three summers ago that I cannot do now. But I feel a duty to push through. I want trans boys to be able to dance without wondering whether there is a place for them in the dance world, especially in the ballet world with it’s strict gender norms. My dream is to open a company and eventually a school, not for trans dancers, but for everyone to be trained equally and to dance all roles. I don’t just want a space for us, I want a dance world in which gender has nothing to do with what you can and cannot do. But to do that I need to be able to dance, not just well, but well enough to get into college and, more importantly, well enough to get people’s attention. 

Even if only one trans dancer sees this it will have been worth writing. We are strong and we are here. My insta is psychopaths_r_us (I promise I’m not one, it was an old joke) if anyone wants to message me. I still have so many questions and uncertainties myself, but even if we just get to be uncertain together it’s better than being alone.

[tinderbutton]

Illustration of @mariecsnider I really dig Marie’s style and insta account so I was looking forward to drawing her. I also need to highlight a post from a few months back where she asked trans girls/fems  to “comment your favorite thing about your transition or being trans below! Let’s keep a list of positivity in the comments for us to look back on when we’re feeling down, to remember the joy we have of being who we truly are.” I was struggling physically at the time and seeing this post and all of its comments brought some much needed joy and solace when I was feeling blue. Thanks Marie! My continuing series of portraits of rad people in the trans community - because someone should. #inspiringpeople #girlslikeus #transvisibilty #portrait #digitalpainting #comicart #illustration #art  #loveislove https://www.instagram.com/p/BnbkGN8FOgp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qiqux77povaq

[violyntfemme]

In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, I am posting this pic of me and my amazing husband Hayden. He began his transition 12 years ago, 5 years into our relationship. He is very active in the trans community doing speeches and local schools, universities, and LGBTQA+ groups. He participated and was filmed for the HRC Love Thy Neighbor campaign and is always there for people just starting their transition, helping them find doctors, therapists or speaking to parents of trans kids to help them understand d what being trans means. He is amazing and I am thankful for him every day.

[authenticerica]

Ok so Sometimes I dress up! But it’s the usual…rompers for life!!! ⁣ ⁣ Atleast I still fit in my black one. Phew!⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ___________________________________. #romper #romperlife #nomakeup #bathroomselfie #liveauthentic #longlegs #thisiswhattranslookslike #transvisibilty #lgbt #lgbtq #girlslikeus #nightout #summervibes https://www.instagram.com/p/CgAu97vOLkD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[authenticerica]

Just getting ready for work. Nothing to see here!😉⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ___________________________________________#selfie #tanktopwars #lashes #nomakeup #fivehead #liveyourbestlife #liveauthentic #transvisibilty #girlslikeus #thisiswhattranslookslike #wontbeerased #lgbt #lgbtq https://www.instagram.com/p/COWSKucHOzv/?igshid=2r2tn52vjfok

[authenticerica]

Obligatory end of year pic. Reflecting on what a year 2020 has been. Pic is more for me than you but here’s to another year. And it is going to be one to remember. Mark this. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ _________________________________________#2020 #newyear #newgoals #selfie #nomakeup #selflove #liveyourbestlife #liveauthentic #youdoyou #youdontknowme #wontbeerased #thisiswhattranslookslike #girlslikeus #transvisibilty #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq🌈 https://www.instagram.com/p/CJeDx0-n7Fr/?igshid=orletcyyrtxz

[authenticerica]

Beautiful day for the zoo with my wife and kids and one of my best friends and her daughter! Love this life because I Love just being able to be me! ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ __________________________________________#milwaukeezoo #zoo #giraffe #falldays #covid_19 #fall #autumn #liveauthentic #youdoyou #momlife #nomakeup #girlslikeus #messyhairdontcare #wontbeerased #thisiswhattranslookslike #transvisibilty #lgbt #lgbtq https://www.instagram.com/p/CGAq__rneYY/?igshid=pc5t7mtk1y6h